SUMMARY By Marcus How Surveys indicate that local populations in EU-CEE remain broadly positive about EU membership. Apathy is high, however, and trust in national institutions remains low. Combined with ‘convergence fatigue’, these factors have created favourable conditions for populist forces, which have degraded the quality of institutions in numerous states. These forces are qualified […]
THE VIEW FROM MITTELEUROPA: Reconfiguring Chinese economic strategies in CESEE
SUMMARY Changing geopolitical realities are changing the ways in which CESEE states in the EU and Western Balkans are dealing with Chinese investments. As ever, nothing is simple: states are variegated in their approaches. Broadly speaking, there are three approaches: 1. Proactive alignment with US policy priorities (e.g. Lithuania, Czechia, Romania) 2. The (opportunistic?) balancing […]
THE VIEW FROM MITTELEUROPA: Turkish result shows that ‘all for one and one for all’ is rarely the best tactic to bring down a strongman
LESSONS FROM THE TURKISH ELECTIONS REGARDING THE TRACK RECORD OF UNITED OPPOSITION ALLIANCES. Last year, a similar campaign by the Hungarian opposition started with promise but was swiftly derailed by internal dysfunction and external shocks (i.e. the Russian invasion of Ukraine). In Turkey, conditions were different. Kemal Kilicdaroglu was likely not the best candidate but […]
THE VIEW FROM MITTELEUROPA: Austria and Russia – ending the ‘special relationship’?
Back last April, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. It was an impromptu visit. Nehammer had been in Kyiv with Volodymyr Zelenskiy when two of his closest advisors – namely, his wife Kathi and former Bild editor Kai Diekmann – encouraged him to play the archetypal Austrian role of […]
Analysis – 2022 French General Election – June 19th 2022
Review and analysis of the French general election process and results of the first round (June 12th)
Analysis – 2nd Round of the French presidential election (Apr 24th)
A review and analysis of the recent French Presidential Election, held on the 24th April 2022
All in? Kosovo, Albania and the prospects of unification
On 14 February, Kosovo held snap parliamentary elections which the main opposition party, the left-wing nationalist Self-Determination Movement (LVV), won by a landslide. The victory was historic, as it dismantled the hegemon of the two parties that have dominated the post-war landscape, namely the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), neither of which will form part of the next government for the first time since 2001.
US Post Election Analysis
As it becomes all but certain that former Vice President Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, EPG’s US partner KARV, provides analysis of the potential scenarios, anticipated policy priorities and key issues likely to evolve over the coming months.
Serbia/Kosovo: US Economic Normalization Agreements
The United States has brokered Economic Normalization agreements between Serbia and Kosovo, whether this will have any impact is up for debate. The new agreement’s relevance to Serbia and Kosovo are piecemeal, which is likely to undermine their scope to deliver material benefits, and comes at the expense of the EU accession process.
Montenegro: Post Election Outlook
The ruling DPS-led alliance has lost its absolute majority for the first time since 1990, with the opposition parties winning sufficient seats to form a government; An internal redistribution of power in DPS is likely if President and party leader Djukanovic steps down as party leader after 21 years
